As construction of Fantasyland reached a frantic pace prior to opening in 1955, it became apparent that there was not enough room left in Fantasyland to build the Pirate Ship. So space was cleared behind the Main Street Opera House which was being used as the lumber mill and the entire ship was constructed backstage. Shortly before opening, the fantasy of the flying ship came true, when the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship actually flew into Fantasyland courtesy of a nearby connstruction crane. Originally, Captain Hook's Pirate Ship sat in a simple pond. In 1960, the pond became an exotic, tropical setting from Peter Pan with the addition of Skull Rock. The Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship and Restaurant was a Disneyland landmark from 1955 until 1982, although the name changed to Captain Hook's Galley when Chicken of the Sea dropped its sponsorship in 1969. Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship and Restaurant served Tuna sandwiches, salads, hot tuna pie and beverages.
From WED Disneyland Dictionary 1968 A gay Spanish galleon, from Walt Disney's film, "Peter Pan." provides a poop-deck for a different view of Fantasyland. It includes a cafeteria, featuring famous Chicken of the Sea tuna dishes. Seating is in a Pirates' Cove next to Skull Rock.JINGLE [Ask any mermaid you happen to see What's the best tuna? Chicken of the Sea.] Originally, the ship was made entirely of wood, but with the wood sitting in water for so long, it began to rot. Over the years the wood was partially replaced by concrete so when it was decided to remove the ship for the remodeling of Fantasyland it was not possible to save it.
The Pirate Ship was supposed to move a second time. In 1981, work began on the New Fantasyland. To improve pedestrian flow in the crowded land, plans called for the Pirate Ship to be relocated to the Small World Promenade.It wasn’t a simple matter of digging a canal and floating the ship to the new location. In fact, the ship wasn’t really a ship. It was an aging wooden building in which wood at the base had been replaced with concrete over the years to better withstand sitting in the water of a tropical lagoon. By summer 1982, the ship was sitting in a dry construction site, but the ship could not be moved. Bulldozers unceremoniously demolished the longtime landmark. Trucks hauled away the mangled timbers and chunks of concrete.
